Tubulating machine



Nov. 29, 1955 K. E. BooKE TUBULATING MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Aug. 30, 1952 INVENTOR /KE 500%5 ATTORNEY Nov. 29, 1955 K. E. BOOKE TUBULATING MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 30, 1952 Mmm/5015 INVENTOR It f'. 50a/KE.

H ATToRNE Nov. 29, 1955 K. E. laooKla TUBULATING MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Aug. 30, 1952 United VStates PatentA O TUBULATING MACHINE Kenneth E. Booke, Fairmont, W. Va., assigner to Westinghouse Electric Corporation, IEast Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application August 30, 1952, Serial No. 307,338

6 Claims. (Cl. 49-2) The present invention relates to tubulating machines, and, more particularly, to a tubulating machine for joining a vitreous exhaust tube to a metallic disc base for a Lumiline lamp.

The Lumiline lamp is a special type of incandescent tubular lightsource which has a lilament extending the length of the lamp and connected by means of wire terminals at each end to a disc base which in turn requires a special type lamp holder. The filament is mounted on an internal channel and supported along its middle portion by a mount brace. The filament terminals, one at each end, are insulated from each other and joined tothe channel. A 'piece of vitreous exhaust tubing is joined to one of the disc bases to provide exhaust means for the 'lamp envelope after the mounting of the iilamentary assembly therein and the sealing of the disc bases to each end of the tubular bulb.

ln the past the disc-like base has been tubulated either by h-and or semi-automatic machines requiring hand loading .and unloading. The disc base is a chrome iron alloy 4having a coei'icient of expansion close to that of the vitreous exhaust tube. lf the exhaust tubulation is not properly centered over the hole cut in the disc, or the disc is not properly oxidized or the seal properly annealed during the tubulating operation, the tubulation' seal will tend to crack during the sealing ofthe outer periphery of the` disc to the end of the tubular vitreous envelope of the Lumiline lamp. This hand or semi-automatic tubulatin'g operation has resulted in high cost, variable quality and 'considerable shrinkage.

" lieues, it has been found advantageous, according to 2,724,927 Fatented No". 29, 1955 ICS driven by suitable means at their lower ends lto deliver the exhaust tubulations, one at a time, through a turnover device and exhaust tube drop, into a receiving funnel and thence into the partially closed tubulation-holding aws and the sealing position with respect to the disc base. The advantages of this device are a positive, synchronized feeding of the tubulations, more gentle handling of the tubulations, and separation of the tubuiations during delivery to allow dirt to drop from between them.

The timer comprises a drive tube having a straight longitudinal slot and positioned within an outer tube having a helical slot cut therein.` Both 'tubes laire connected I `by a straight pin adjustable up and down by means of a my invention, to provide a continuously rotating and automatic loading Lumiline tubulating machine to perform the tubulating operation with consistent and improved results. l have provided the machine of my invention with a :continuously rotating conveyor or turret, an automatic tubulation feeding device, an improved exhaust tubulationholding jaw assembly,- and a novel timer for synchronizing the automatic feed of the exhaust tubulation from the feeding device into the jaws of the constantly rotating conveyor.

in the automa-tic loading of an exhaust tube it is delivered from a hopper, operable fro-m the machine drive by means of cam action, into the partially closed tubulation-holding jaws, acting as guiding funnels, to its sealing position on top of the metal disc secured to the turret by a lbase holder.

The original jaws were designed for only gripping the tube thereby making it necessary to manually load and unload the machine. The improved matching jaws consist of a stationary jaw and a hinged jaw operable by cam action to permit the automatic unloading of the tubulated base and to prevent them from completely closing during the tubulation delivery operation and thereby to act as a guide funnel therefor.

The tubulation feeding device consists of a hopper having .a stationary pair of notched beams and a movable pair of notched beams pivoted at their upper ends and screw within the drive tube.

in its general aspect, the present invention has as `its object an improved tubulating .machine for sealing'th'e vitreous exhaust tube to the metal lamp base.

A specific object of the invention is an automatic umiline tubulating machine having a continuously rotating turret or conveyor, an automatic synchronized tubulation feeding device, improved tubulation holding jaws which permit automatic unloading of the tubulated base and a novel timing mechanism for synchronizing the automatic feeding of 'the exhaust tubes into the constantly rotating turret heads.

An additional object lis an exhaust tubulation feeding device for a Lumiline tubulating machine which 'will insure positive synchronized feeding of the tubulation's,

more gentle handling thereof, and separation of the tuba-- lationsduring delivery to remove dirt therefrom.

Another kobject is to provide improved jaws for a Luiniline tubulating machine comprising a stationary -slotted outer tube, both connected by a pin adjustable by means of a screw within the drive tube.

Other objects of the invention will appear to those skilled in the art to which it appertains as the description proceeds, both'by direct recitation thereof and by yimplication from the context;

Referring to the accompanying drawing, in whichl like numerals of reference indicate similar parts throughout the several views: l

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic plan view of the Lumiline tubulating machine of my invention;

Fig. 2 is an axial sectional view of the machine on lthe line II--II of Fig. 1, in the direction of the arrows, showing the exhaust-tubulation vFeeding device and rotating turret in detail;

Fig. 3 is aside elevational view, partially in section, of one`end of Lumiline lamp, showing the tubulated disc base sealed to the lamp bulb;

Fig. 4 is an elevational View, partially in cross section, on the line IV-IV of Fig. 2, in the direction of the arrows, showing the novel timer for the exhaust tubulation feeding device;

lwFig. 5 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view of the delivery end of the exhaust tubulation feeding device, showing the operation of the stationary and movable notched beams;

lFig. 6 is a sectional view of the timer on the line VI--VI of Fig. 4, in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 6 on the line VI-VI' of Fig. 4 in the direction of the arrows, showing the counection between the helical groove in the outer tube and the longitudinal slot in the inner drive tube of the timer; Fig. 8 is a horizontal sectional view of the tubulation 3 holding jaws on the line VIII-VIH of Fig. 2 in the direction of the arrows, showing the positions of the jaws after unloading and prior to loading;

Fig. 9 is a vertical sectional view on the line IX--IX of Fig. 8, in the direction of the arrows; v

Fig. l is a horizontal sectional view along the line X-X of Fig. 9, in the direction of the arrows, showing the jaw construction in detail;

Fig. 11 is a vertical sectional view, on the line XI-XI of Fig. 9 in the direction of the arrows, showing the jaws in the closed or loading position.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, particularly Figs. 1 and 2, the reference numeral 10 designates a Lumlne tubulating machine for joining a vitreous exhaust tubulation 12 to a disc-like metallic alloy base 14. This machine comprises a continuously rotating turret 16 having a plurality of base holder heads 18, in the present showing six in number, and a tubulation feeding device 20 and timer 21 juxtaposed near the loading position of the turret 16 and driven along with the rotating turret by a continuous chain drive 22.

The turret base 36. Between plate 26 and the Wheel 32 a turret table 38 and a gas valve assembly 40 are mounted in succession on the support sleeve 28. The lower portion of the gas valve assembly 40 is stationary, as hereinafter explained.

Base holder heads A series of lamp base supports 42, six in the present showing (Fig. 1), are mounted in equi-spaced arrangement on the periphery of the turret table 38. Each support 42 (Fig. 2) is provided with a lamp base adapter ring 44. Between the lamp base support 42 and the sleeve 28 a lamp base clamp lever 46 is pivotally mounted on the turret table 38. The supports 42, rings 44 and levers 46 together constitute the heads 18 of the machine 10. The base holding or outer end of each lever 46 is provided with a pair of lingers 48 for straddling the tubulation 12 andpressing down on the base 14 in the adapter ring 44. The opposite or inner end of each lever 46 is biased upwardly by means of a spring 49 extending Afrom the lower top mounting plate 26 to the lever 46. A lamp base clamp lever rod 50 (Fig. 2) carrying a roller on its upper end for engagement with a lamp base clamping cam 51 on cam plate 35 has its lower end in engagement with the inner end of lever 46 and is vertically reciprocable through hollow cylindrical guide members secured to plates 24 and 26. As shown in Figs. 2 and 8, the rod 50 is suitably splined to the plate 24 to allow reciprocation while preventing rotation thereof.

Gas valve assembly The gas valve assembly 40 (Fig. 2) comprises a rotatable top valve plate 52 secured to the sleeve 28 and a stationary lower valve plate 54 secured to the support plate 34 by means of a valve plate support 56. The plates 52 and 54 are provided with complementary annular grooves of varying cross section through which gas is fed from a nozzle 58 into a plurality of burners 60 secured to the outer periphery of the top valve plate 52, adjacent and beneath the lamp base supports 42.

T ubulation holding jaw assembly i Above each head or base holder 18, as shown in Figs. 2, 8, 9 and 10, a tubulation holding jaw assembly 62 is juxtaposed on the lower top mounting plate 26. This assembly comprises essentially a stationary jaw 64 adjustably secured to an exhaust tube operating rod 68 and a cam operated movable jaw 66 pivotally mounted on the stationary jaw 64. This rod 68 reciproeates vertically on suitable guides or bushings in the plates 24 and 26 and has, affixed to its upper end, a roller for engagement with an exhaust tubulation operating cam 70 for vertically reciprocating said assembly 62, as shown in Fig. 2. A tube holder guide pin 72, mounted vertically between the plates 24 and 26, near their outer edges, extends through a suitable hole in the outer portion of the stationary jaw 64 (shown in Figs. 2 and 8) to prevent r`otation of the tubulation holding jaw assembly 62 during its sliding motion.

The outer end of the movable jaw 66 is provided with a roller 73 Vfor engagement with a tubulation holding jaw assembly cam 74 (Figs. 1 and 8) for opening the jaws wide. This cam 74 is located adjacent the unloading position of the machine 10 which comprises automatic unloading means namely an air nozzle 76 and a discharge chute 78 (Fig. l). Behind the tubulation holding portion of the movable jaw 66 (Fig. 8) a horizontal return spring 80 extends from a suitable pin projecting from the jaw 66 to a second pin 82 (Fig. 9) mounted on a side of the stationary jaw 64, to bias the movable jaw 66 and to cause return thereof after disengagement of the roller 73 with the cam 74.

Near the periphery of the plate 26 a tubulation holder finger release rod 84 extends through the stationary jaw 64 bridging a suitable pocket or groove 86 (Fig. 2 and Fig. 10) cut in said jaw. This groove 86 permits the mounting therein on the rod 84 of a dog 88 for slightly opening the jaw 66 after unloading and before reaching the tubulation reloading position of the machine 10. On the upper end of the rod 84 a tubulation holder linger release arm (Figs. 2, 8 and 9) is aflixed and provided on its outer end with a roller for engagement with a tubulation loading cam 92 depending from the cam plate 3S. This cam 92 is located beyond the unloading position and extends through the tubulation loading position of the machine 10, as shown in Fig. l.

It will be understood that as the roller on the end of the tubulation holder finger release arm 90 engages the tubulation loading cam 92 for opening the jaw 66 slightly the arm 90 pivots counterclockwise to the position shown dotted in Fig. 8, thereby rotating the rod 84 and causing a raised portion of the dog 88 thereon to move the movable jaw 66 slightly away from the stationary jaw 64 (as shown in Fig. 8) and permit the use of the jaws 64 and 66 as a guiding funnel during the tubulation loading operation.

After disengagement of the roller on the arm 90 with the cam 92, a torsion spring 94 located about the rod 84 between the arm 90 and the stationary jaw 64 moves the arm 99 back to its normal or closed position. A spring arm 96 (Figs. 8 and 9) of angular configuration extends above the plate 24 and over the stationary jaw 64 for securement of the upper end of a return spring 98. The lower end of the spring 98 is secured in the stationary jaw 64. This spring maintains the exhaust tube operating rod 68 in engagement with the cam 70 Fig. 2).

Adjacent and transverse to the tubulation loading position of the rotating turret 16, the tubulation feeding device 2t) and timer 21 are secured, as shown in Fig. 2, on a tubulation feeding device platform 100, which in turn is mounted by means of rods 102 on the table top 33.

The timer A vertical timer drive shaft or tube 104 (Figs. 2 and 4) is rotatable (by means of a sprocket wheel 105 thereon) in a bottom bearing 106 on the table top 33 and in a guide bearing 108, depending from the underside of the platform 100. This sprocket wheel 105 together with gegane? 'the sprocket wheel 32 on spider 2s of 'the turret 16 and a suitable sprocket chain constitute the continuous kchain drive '22.

As shown in Figs. 2 and 4 through 7, and particularly in Fig'. 4, this drive shaft 104 extends through the platform 100 and is enclosed by an outer tube 112 which carries' at its upper end a drive gear 114. The portion of 'the drive shaft 104 contained within the outer tube l112 is provided with a longitudinal slot 116, as shown in Fig. 4. In turn the outer tube 112 has a helical groove 118 cut therein. Adjacent the longitudinal slot 116 and within the drive shaft 104 is an adjustment screw 122 which extends upwardly beyond the drive tube r'104.

As shown particularly in Fig. 7, a connecting pin 124 extends through the drive tube 104, adjustment screw l122, longitudinal slot 116 in tubeA104 and into the helical groove 118 in the outer tube 112. Above the gear 114 an adjustment knob 126 is rotatably secured to the upper portion of 'the drive tube 104, as shown in 6 by a pair of segments or shoes 128 carried in an annular groove 130 in the lknob 126 and secured therein by pins 132 to permit rotation of the knob 126 with respect to the drive 'shaft 104 and thus the running adjustment of the outer tube 112 with respect to the drive shaft 104, during the rotation of the shaft 104.

Adjacent the gear 114 is la driven gear 134 mounted o'n a horizontal feeding device shaft 136 (Fig. 4) which in turn Arotates in a suitable bearing 138 mounted on the platform 100. The other end of the shaft 136 rotates in a pair of bearings 140 mounted in the side walls of a hopper 142 of the tubulation feeding device 20.

Tabulation feeding device The hopper 142, shown in Figs. 2, 4 4and 5, is an open top 'container provided with a sloping bottom portion or platform 144 and a vdiagonal guide or feed plate 146, shown particularly in Fig. 2, to permit single file feed of the exhaust tubulations 12 between the plate 146 and the bottorn portion 144 and hence to a pair of notched stationary beams or jaws 147 (Fig. -2) mounted on 'the lower extremities of 'the platform 144 adjacent the side walls of the hopper 142.

As shown particularly in Fig. 4, a pair of movable beams or levers 148 has notched end portions 149 at one end, adjacent beams 147, and is pivoted at the other end on a horizontal shaft 150 supported in the rearward portions of the hopper 142. The jaws 14'9 in turn are connected at their forward portions by a rod 152 (Fig. 4) which carries a cam roller 154 thereon. This roller is engaged by a tubulation feeding cam 156 mounted on the feeding device shaft 136 between the bearings '140. The pivoted beams 148 are moved upwardly and downwardly, by th'e action of the cam 156, through suitable slots cut in the bottom portion 144 of the hopper 142. As shown in Fig. 5, the beams 148 are provided adjacent the jaws 149 with a raised 'portion 158 of circular configuration to prevent jamming of the tubulation at the exit or delivery end.

It will be understood that as the movable jaws 149 are reciprocated up and down by the action of the cam 156, the tubulations 12 are moved notch-by-notch downwardly toward the delivery end on the stationary jaws 147. As a tubulation 12 rolls off the last tooth of the stationary jaws 147 it drops by gravity, as shown in Figs. -4 and 5, into a tube turn-over device or cavity 160 wherein the tubulation 1'2 is changed from a horizontal position to a vertical position, and delivered through an exhaust tubulation drop 161 into a receiving funnel 162 directly above the partially closed stationary jaw 64 and movable jaw 66 of the rotating turret 16 directly therebeneath.

Tubulntz'on feeding adjustment It will be -understood that Vthe proper timing of the delivery of a 'tubulation 12 by feeding device 20 to the jaws 64 and 66 is 'obtained through proper selection of thesprocket wheel 32 of the 'turret 16 and wheel 1'0'5 of Operation The operation of the Lumiline tubulating lmachine: 1i) is predicated on the assumption that the tubulation feeding device 20 yis properly timed with respect to the rotating turret 16, as explained above, so that a tubulation 12 .is fed from the hopper 142 into the partially open jaws 64 and 66 of the tubulation .holding jaw assembly 62, as said assembly passes therebeneath. After 'discharge of a tubulated base, as hereinafter explained, the roller on the end of the tube holder finger .release arm contacts the exhaust tube loading 'cam 92 (Fig. 1,) andvlopens the jaw 66 slightly as hereinbefore explained. Simultaneously, -the lamp base clamp lever rod 50 has moved downwardly by means of the lamp base clamping cam 51, thus moving the fingers 48 on the other end of the lever 46 away ifrom the lamp base adapter ring 44 and permitting the manual loading of va base 14 therein.

As the base holder head :1'8 passes the receiving funnel 162 a tubulation 12 is delivered through .the slightly opened funnel-like jaws 64 and 66 fandfrests on rtop ofthe base 14 ready for sealing.

As the cam on .the end of a-rm9 nears the `end of its engagement with cam 92, the holding jaw assembly 62 starts a gradual downward travel which is completed in approximately 45 of turret .rotation (Fig. `1) by the `action of cam 70 on the rod 68. Even though the jaws 564 and 66 are closed during most of the `downward motion, said jaws slide on the tubul-ation 12 `to Yfirmly seat and `center said tubulation Vagainst the vbase 14. After the tubulation seating operation (Fig. l), the sealing fresfrom burner 60 located beneath the Alamp base support 42 of the loaded head 18 begin to heat the base and the sealing end of :the tubulation 12. These fires continue to heat the tubulation 12 and the base 14 for approximately another 135 of `turret turning and about midway of said turning, a bead ,is formed on the end of the glass tubing 12. 'Near' the end of the heating cycle the exhaust tube operating rod 68 encounters successively a depression and a raised portion `in the exhaust tube operating cam 70 and rises upwardly and then downwardly therewith to produce a .seal puddlin-g action and `form a uniform seal of -the glass tube i12 to the base 14. This action occurs in approximately the last 30 of said turning.

From the end of the sealing operation unit 1 the discharge of the tubulated base, approximately v45 later the tubulated base is -cooled lin the atmosphere. As the turret 16 rotates counterclockwise (Fig. l) beyond the -en'd :of the sealing operation, approximately 20 later, the lamp base clamping lever .rod 50 -is vmoved downwardly by means of a raised portion -of the lamp base 'clamping cam 51, thus releasing the tubulated base except for the tubulaktion holding jaws 64 and 66 of the tubulation holding jaw assembly 62. Simultaneous with the base releasing action the rod 68 and hence the tubulation holding jaw assembly 62 with the tubulated base therein is .moved upwardly by the cam 7-0. i

The roller 7f3 then encounters the tubulation holding jaw assembly cam 74 :for lopening `said tubulation holding jaws wide, thereby moving, as shown in Fig. 8, the mov# able jaw 66 away from the stationary jaw 64. AAir directed from the nozzle 76 `blows the now unsupported tubulated base into the discharge chute 178. '3

As the roller 73 breaks contact with the cam -74 the jaw 66 moves inwardly toward the stationary k.jaw 6 4. `Simultaneously, however, the roller on the end of the tube holder nger release arm 90 engages the exhaust tubullation loading cam 92. and maintains the jaw 66 in a slightly open position to permit the tubulation loading as hereinbefore explained.

Although a preferred embodiment of my invention has been disclosed, it will be understood that modifications may be made within the scope of the invention.

I claim:

l. A sealing machine for joining a vitreous tubulation to a metallic base comprising a frame, a continuously rotatable turret on said frame, a plurality of base holder heads on said turret, a plurality of tubulation holding jaws assemblies on said turret juxtaposed above each head and for guiding a tubulation into sealing position during the tubulation loading operation, for securing said tubulation in said sealing position with respect to said base during the sealing operation and for opening Wide during the discharge of a tubulated base therefrom, a tubulation feeding device on said frame adjacent the tubulation loading position of said machine for delivering a tubulation through a tubulation holding jaw assembly into sealing position against a base in a base holder head as each of said base holder heads and tubulation jaw holding assemblies pass therebeneath, means for continuously rotating said turret and a timer connected to `said means for continuously rotating said turret and for synchronizing the delivery of a tubulation from said tubulation feeding device with the passage of a base holder head and a tubulation holding jaw assemblytherebeneath.

2.v A sealing machine for joining a vitreous tubulation to a metallic base comprising a frame, a turret support post on said frame, a continuously rotatable turret on said frame and comprising a hollow sleeve rotatable on said turret support post, an upper and a lower top mounting plate on said hollow sleeve, a turret table beneath said lower top mounting plate also on said sieeve and a gas valve assembly having a rotatable portion on said sleeve beneath said turret table a stationary portion on said frame and a plurality of burners on said rotatable portion, a plurality of base holder heads on said turret, a plurality of tubulation holding jaw assemblies on said turret juxtaposed above each head and for guiding a tubulation into sealing position during the tubulation loading operation, for securing said tubulation in said sealing position with respect to said base during the sealing operation and for opening wide during the discharge of a tubulated base therefrom, a tubulation feeding device on said frame adjacent the tubulation loading position of said machine for delivering a tubulation through a tubulation holding jaw assembly into sealing position against a base in a base holder head as each of said base holder heads and tubulation jaw holding assemblies pass therebeneath, means for continuously rotating said turret and a timer connected to said means for continuously rotating said turret and for synchronizing the delivery of a tubulation from said tubulation feeding device with the passage of a base holder and a tubulation holding jaw assembly therebeneath.

3. A sealing machine for joining a vitreous tubulation toa metallic base comprising a frame, a continuously rotatable turret on said frame, a plurality of base holder heads on said turret, each of said base holder heads comprising a lamp base support on said turret, a lamp base adapter ring on said support, a lamp base clamping lever pivotable on said turret and adjacent said ring, said lever having fingers on one end thereof adjacent and above said ring for securement of a base therein, means for lowering the other end of said lever, and vrecovery means for raising said lever, a plurality of tubulation holding jaw assemblies on said turret juxtaposed above each head and for guiding a tubulation into sealing position during the tubulation loading operation, for securing said tubulation in said sealing position with respect to said base during the sealing operation and for opening` wide during the discharge of a tubulated base therefrom, a tubulation feeding device on said frame adjacent the tubulation loading position of said machine for delivering a tubulation through a tubulation holding jaw assembly into sealing position against a base in a base holder head as each of said base holder heads and tubulation jaw holding assemblies pass therebeneath, means for continuously rotating said turret and a timer connected to said means for continuously rotating said turret and for synchronizing the delivery of a tubulation from said tubulation feeding device with the passage of a base holder head and a tubulation holding jaw assembly therebeneath.

4. A sealing machine for joining a vitreous tubulation to a metallic base comprising a frame, a continuously rotatable turret on said frame, a plurality of base holder heads on said turret, a plurality of tubulation holding jaw assemblies on said turret juxtaposed above each head and for guiding a tubulation into sealing position during the tubulation loading operation, for securing said tubulation in said sealing position with respect to said base during the sealing operation and for opening wide during the discharge of a tubulated base therefrom, each of said tubulation holding jaw assemblies comprising a stationary tubulation holding jaw provided with a lateral dog pocket, a movable tubulation holding jaw pivoted on said stationary jaw, a tubulation holder finger release rod extending through said stationary jaw, a dog within said pocket and on said release rod and for slightly opening said movable jaw, means on said release rod for rotating said release rod and thus opening slightly said movable jaw, and means on the outer end of said movable jaw for opening widely said movable jaw, a tubulation feeding device on said frame adjacent the tubulation loading position of said machine for delivering a tubulation through a tubulation holding jaw assembly into sealing position against a base in a base holder head as each of said base holder heads and tubulation jaw holding assemblies pass therebeneath, means for continuously rotating said turret and a timer connected to said means for continuously rotating said turret and for synchronizing the delivery of a tubulation from said tubulation feeding device with the passage of a base holder head and a tubulation holding jaw assembly therethrough.

5. A sealing machine for joining a vitreous tubulation to a metallic base comprising a frame, a continuously rotatable turret on said frame, a plurality of base holder heads on said turret, a plurality of tubulation holding jaw assemblies on said turret juxtaposed above each head and for guiding a tubulation into sealing position during the tubulation loading operation, for securing said tubulation in said sealing position with respect to said base during the sealing operation and for opening wide during the discharge of a tubulated base therefrom, a tubulation feeding device on said frame adjacent the tubulation loading position of said machine for delivering a tubulation through a tubulation holding jaw assembly into sealing position against a base in a base holder head as each of said base holder heads and tubulation jaw holding assemblies pass therebeneath, said feeding device comprising a hopper on said frame, said hopper having side walls, a sloping bottom, and a guide plate adjacent said bottom to insure single tile advancement of said tubulations thereon, a pair of stationary notched jaws on the delivery end of said bottom adjacent said side walls of said hopper, a pair of movable beams having notched jaws on the free end thereof and pivotably secured at the other end to a movable beam shaft atlixed to the side walls of said hopper, and means for vertically reciprocating said movable notched jaws between said stationary jaws, means for continuously rotating said turret and a timer connected to said means for continuously rotating said turret and for synchronizing the delivery of a tubulation from said tubulation feeding device with the passage of a base holder head and a tubulation holding jaw assembly therebeneath.

6. A sealing machine for joining a vitreous tubulation to a metallic base comprising a frame, a continuously rotatable turret on said frame, a plurality of base holder heads on said turret, a plurality of tubulation holding jaw assemblies on said turret juxtaposed above each head and for guiding a tubulation into sealing position during the tubulation loading operation, for securing said tubulation in said sealing position with respect to said base during the sealing operation and for opening wide during the discharge of a tubulated base therefrom, a tubulation feeding device on said frame adjacent the tubulation loading position of said machine for delivering a tubulation through a tubulation holding jaw assembly into sealing position against a base in a base holder head as each of said base holder heads and tubulation jaw holding assemblies pass therebeneath, means for continuously rotating said turret and a timer connected to said means for continuously rotating said turret and for synchronizing the delivery of a tubulation from said tubulation feeding device with the passage of a base holder head and a tubulation holding jaw assembly therebeneath, said timer comprising a hollow timer drive shaft rotatable on said frame, and provided with a longitudinal slot therein,

10 a timer outer tube surrounding said drive shaft and provided with a helical groove on its inner surface, an adjustment screw within said timer shaft, a pin extending through said timer shaft, said adjustment screw, said longitudinal slot in said timer shaft and into said helical groove in said outer tube.

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